A power management device 101 is used to translate the voltage level and current type supplied by a power source 103 to the voltage level and current-type rated for an electrical appliance or electronic device 105 as shown in FIG. 1. The available power source 103 can comprise an alternating current (AC) source or a direct current (DC) source, Alternatively, the electrical appliance or electronic device 105 may also be rated to function under an AC or DC voltage. Conductive means 107 is used to maintain electrical communication between the power management device 101, the power source 103 and the electrical appliance 105. A power management device 101 that translates AC power from the supplied voltage and current level to a different desired AC voltage and current level functions as a transformer device. When said power management device 101 translates AC power from the supplied voltage and current level to a desirable DC voltage and current it operates as an AC-to-DC converter. When said power management device 101 translates a non-optimal DC electrical power supply to DC voltage and current levels rated for the electrical appliance, it operates as a DC-to-DC converter. When the power management device 101 translates a DC electrical power supply to an AC current, it operates as a power inverter. Methods and articles that improve component integration, device miniaturization and performance tolerances of power management devices over current means are beneficial to the development of smaller form factor, lighter weight, and lower cost fixed or mobile platform electrical appliance. All of these power management devices will consist of at least one inductor component, which typically has larger size than any other electrical component used in the assembly of the power management device 101. Therefore, means that reduce the footprint (size) or improve performance tolerances of the inductor component, or facilitate component integration address a significant need of power management devices.
The basic layout of a transformer circuit is shown in FIG. 2. A transformer circuit 109 will consist of an inductor core 111 in which a magnetic current is generated by a primary coil winding 113. One or more secondary coil windings 115, 117 that are also wrapped around the inductor core 111 generate electrical currents in response to the magnetic current running through it. As is well known to practitioners skilled in the art, the voltage Vs generated in the secondary coil windings 115, 117 is proportional to the voltage Vp applied to the primary coil through the ratio of the number of turns in the primary winding NP and the secondary coil(s) Ns through:Vp/Vs=Np/Ns.  (1)
The basic circuit layout of an inverter circuit is shown in FIG. 3. An inverter circuit 119 will consist of a DC power supply (battery, fuel cell, solar cell, etc.) 121, at least two transistor switches 123A, 123B, input coils 125A, 125B, 125C that are coupled to an output coil 127 through an inductor core 129. Inverter circuits may optionally include rectifying diodes 131A, 131B. Inverter circuits and transformer circuits may also include additional resistors and capacitors (not shown in FIGS. 2 and 3) used as filtering components.
DC-to-DC converter circuits use four primary building block circuits, alternatively known to practitioners skilled in the art as pumps, to derive their operational characteristics. The four pump circuit classifications are Fundamental pumps, Developed pumps, Transformer pumps, and Super-lift pumps. Fundamental pumps are sub-categorized as Buck pumps, Boost pumps, and Buck-Boost pumps. FIG. 4A depicts the circuit layout of a Buck-Boost pump 133. The Fundamental pumps will consist of a transistor or electromechanical switch 135, a rectifying diode 137, a resistor 139 and an inductor 141. Developed pumps are sub-categorized as Positive Luo pumps, Negative Luo pumps, or Cúk pumps. FIG. 4B depicts the circuit layout of a negative Luo pump. Developed pumps will comprise a transistor or electromechanical switch 143, a rectifying diode 145, a capacitor 147, an inductor 149, and a resistor 151. Transformer pumps are sub-categorized as Forward pumps, Fly-Back pumps, and Zeta pumps. FIG. 4C depicts the circuit layout of a Fly-back pump. Transformer pumps will comprise a transistor or electromechanical switch 153, a transformer 155, one or more rectifying diodes 157, a capacitor 159 and a resistor 161. Super-lift pumps are sub-categorized as Positive Super Luo pumps, Negative Super Luo pumps, Positive Push-Pull pumps, Negative Push-Pull pumps, and Double/Enhanced Circuit (DEC) pumps. FIG. 4D depicts the circuit layout of a Positive Super Luo pump. Super-lift pumps will comprise a transistor or electromechanical switch 163, at least two rectifying diodes 165A, 165B, at least two capacitors 167A, 167B, a resistor 169, and an inductor 171. These building block circuits are then assembled to form DC-to-DC converter circuits meeting specific operational design characteristics. A more comprehensive description of DC-to-DC converter circuits is contained in F. L. Luo and H. Ye, “Essential DC/DC Converters”, CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group, Boca Raton, Fla. 2006, which is incorporated herein by way of reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,027,826 to de Rochemont, et al., disclose articles and methods to form oxide ceramic on metal substrates to form laminate, filament and wire metal-ceramic composite structures using metalorganic (molecular) precursor solutions and liquid aerosol spray techniques. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,323,549 and 6,742,249 to de Rochemont et al., disclose articles that comprise, and methods to construct, an interconnect structure that electrically contacts a semiconductor chip to a larger system using at least one discrete wire that is embedded in silica ceramic, as well as methods to embed passive components within said interconnect structure using metalorganic (molecular) precursor solutions and liquid aerosol spray techniques. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,707,715 and 6,143,432 to de Rochemont, et al., disclose articles and methods to relieve thermally-induced mechanical stress in metal-ceramic circuit boards and metal-ceramic and ceramic-ceramic composite structures prepared from a solution of metalorganic (molecular) precursors, and further discloses the incorporation of secondary phase particles (powders) in said solution of said solution of metalorganic (molecular) precursors. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/243,422 discloses articles and methods to impart frequency selectivity and thermal stability to a miniaturized antenna element, and the construction of simplified RF front-end architectures in a single ceramic module. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/479,159 discloses articles and methods to embed passive components (resistors, capacitors, and inductors) having stable performance tolerances over standard operating temperatures within a solid state circuit. This application further discloses a solenoid inductor comprising a core of high permeability ferromagnetic ceramic surrounded by an electrically conducting coil, and methods to make same. The contents of each of these references are incorporated herein by reference as if laid out in their entirety.
Definition of Terms
The term circuit board is hereinafter defined to mean a passive circuit comprising a single dielectric layer or a plurality of stacked dielectric layers on which conductive traces have been printed or applied that is used to route electrical or electronic signals between one or more semiconductor devices, passive components, and power sources within a larger electronic system. For the purpose of this invention, circuit board may be understood to mean a back plane, a mother board, or a daughter card.
The term “AC-to-DC Converter” is hereinafter defined to mean a circuit module including at least one inductor element, at least one capacitor element, optionally one or more resistor elements, and, at least one rectifying transistor diode that translates the voltage of an AC power source, to a DC voltage and current useful to the operation of a DC electrical appliance.
The term “DC-to-DC Converter” is hereinafter defined to mean a circuit module including at least one inductor element, at least one capacitor element, optionally one or more resistor elements, and at least one rectifying transistor diode that translates the voltage of a DC power source such as a battery, fuel cell, or solar cell, to an alternative DC voltage and current useful to the operation of DC electrical appliance.
The term “electrical appliance” is hereinafter defined to mean any device that requires electrical current (AC or DC) to perform an intended function.
The term “electroceramic” is hereinafter defined to mean a ceramic composition that comprises two or more metal oxide components, wherein said metal oxide components have been selected to produce a specific electrical or dielectric response or physical property, such as, dielectric constant (principally defined by the materials relative permittivity (εR), relative permeability (μR), and loss tangent (tan δ)) or electrical resistivity, etc.
The term “ferroelectric” is used to define a state of spontaneous polarization generated by the collective displacement of ions within the lattice of certain ionic crystals that produces a state of internal electrical polarization without the application of an external electric field. Ferroelectric materials are characterized by a transition-temperature, known as the Curie transition-temperature, below which the ionic crystal displays paraelectric behavior.
The term “ferromagetic” is used to define a material that generates increased magnetic flux densities when under the influence of an applied magnetic field. Ferromagnetic materials are characterized as having a relative dielectric permeability that is greater than unity, μR>1.
The term “anti-ferromagnetic” is used to define a material that decreases magnetic flux densities when under the influence of applied magnetic field by generating lines of magnetic flux that are anti-parallel to the magnetic flux lines generated by the applied magnetic field. Ante-ferromagnetic materials are characterized as having a relative dielectric permeability that is less than unity, μR<1.
The term “interconnect” is hereinafter defined to mean passive circuit comprising a single dielectric layer or a plurality of stacked dielectric layers on which conductive traces have been printed or applied that is used to route electrical or electronic signals between one or more semiconductors, passive components, power sources, and a circuit board within a larger electronic systems. For the purpose of this invention, interconnect is understood to mean a smaller wiring structure that is inserted between one or more semiconductor devices and a circuit board, such that the combination of the interconnect and the one or more semiconductor devices functions as a module, or a subsystem module.
The acronym “LCD” is hereinafter defined to refer to liquid chemical deposition. Liquid chemical deposition is hereinafter defined to mean the method whereby low-volatility metalorganic salt solutions containing metal oxide precursors to a desired ceramic composition, preferably carboxylate salt precursors, are used to deposit a desired oxide composition by means of a liquid aerosol spray on a substrate heated to temperatures between 250° C. and 500° C., preferably 325° C. and 430° C., or by means of a wax-based inkjet system on substrates held at temperatures below 350° C., preferably below 250° C.
The term “LCD ceramic solenoid inductor” is hereinafter defined to mean a solenoid inductor comprising an conducting coil that is wound around a ferromagnetic or anti-ferromagnetic ceramic body, wherein said ceramic body is characterized as consisting of ceramic grains wherein 100% of all the ceramic grains have physical dimensions that are less than or equal to 1.5× the mean grain size of the ceramic body.
The term “metalorganic precursor” is hereinafter understood to describe an organic molecule to which a specific metal atom has been attached to a carbon atom through an intermediate oxygen bond.
The term “nano-particle conductive pastes” is hereinafter understood to describe a flowable precursor that consists of fine metal particles, with particle dimensions ranging from 10 nm to 100 nm, and additional chemical additives that can be used to screen print or inkjet high quality metallization layers with low conversion temperatures in the range or 100° C. to 350° C.
The term “organometallic precursor” is hereinafter understood to describe an organic molecule to which a desired metal atom has been attached directly to a carbon atom.
The term “paraelectric” is used to define a condition in which a material does not possess internal electrical polarization in the absence of electrical fields.
The term “passive component” is hereinafter understood to describe an elemental resistor, capacitor, or inductor.
The term “power inverter” or simply “inverter” is hereinafter understood to define a power management device that converts the electrical power provided by a DC power supply, such as a battery, fuel cell, or solar cell, into an alternating current,
The term “power management module” is herein understood to define an integrated device that functions as a power inverter, a transformer, an AC-to-DC converter, or a DC-to-DC converter.
The term “rapid thermal annealing” is hereinafter understood to describe a heating process wherein a combination of resistive heat and focused radiation are applied to material layers deposited on the surface of substrate in such a way that cause said deposited material layers to be heated to internal temperatures sufficient to initiate crystallization processes in said deposited materials for a short duration of time, but leaves said substrate largely unaffected by the rapid thermal annealing process even if said substrate is susceptible to change in material phase at internal temperatures significantly lower than those used to crystallize said deposited materials. Focused radiation normally is understood to mean an absorptive wavelength of infrared, visible, or ultraviolet light delivered using a laser, a pulsed laser, or one or more lamps, Focused radiation may also include microwave radiation. Controlled gas atmospheres may also need to be used during a rapid thermal annealing process.
The term “standard operating temperatures” is hereinafter understood to mean temperatures in the range of −40° C. to +125° C.
The term “transformer” is hereinafter understood to mean any device consisting of at least two solenoid inductors, and optionally including one or more of the following: a capacitive element, a resistive element, or a transistor diode, wherein said transformer is used to transform an AC source voltage to an alternative AC voltage that useful to the proper operation of a given electrical appliance.